More Than Acquaintances
by RomansRoad
Summary: Tony would never mention it to any of them that he counted them as closer than acquaintances. One-shot.


_First attempt at an Iron Man fic. Mentions from the 2012 film _The Avengers_. Rated because of references to liquor._

* * *

Anthony Stark. Genius. Billionaire. Playboy.

Names, like money, he was never short on.

But friends, unlike money, he had hardly enough to fill a corner table at Starbuck's.

He had enough acquaintances to pack the Stark Tower ten times over. And that was before the Hulk-excuse his political incorrectness-Dr. Bruce Banner saw fit to remodel the top few floors and add a few skylights.

But acquaintances were like a beer left open in the sun for too long.

You had to drink warm beer, because it was still liquor, and Tony liked liquor. You could go out and find more beer, but that took time, and could be tiresome. You had to talk to acquaintances, because they were still throwing their support to Tony, and Tony liked their support. You could find new acquaintances, but that also took time, and you had to develop their feelings toward you. You couldn't just leave them be, and hope they would figure out it was obviously for the best that they support Tony.

No, acquaintances were a mere representation of the public.

Tony didn't like the public.

Or people in general, for that matter.

People weren't machines. People had thoughts, and opinions, and even the all-powerful Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division couldn't help you when you offended the people. And the people got offended very quickly.

Tony had suits to build (because seven wasn't going to cut it, not with all of the improvements to make), world crises to solve (when _was _Pepper's birthday?), and cars to tinker with (though not as many cars as before he was Iron Man. Crashing through the ceiling on to said vehicles tended to deplete his collection). He didn't have to show his face to them at all. He required no part of them to continue being successful, aside from their support. Unfortunately, people didn't bother to separate feeling from reason. Reason would require them to support his company, even if there was animosity toward Tony himself. Feeling, however, interfered with reason, creating a need for Tony to do his little circus act at the yearly Stark Expo and regain their favor.

To a degree, people had Tony fenced in.

But to a greater degree, Tony had people fenced in.

He wouldn't tell them, though. That would offend them.

His friends were a little better.

He could tell them that he had them fenced in, and they would get mad, mainly because one of them was "always angry", one had grown up in a time period where the phrase wasn't even coined yet, and the rest just used his comment as another example of why they didn't care for his attitude.

But they would listen.

And sometimes they even spoke English.

Tony would never mention it to any of them that he counted them as closer than acquaintances. That broke several codes, including Code Number 82. And no one ever broke Code Number 82. Unless there was liquor, obviously. And a rabbit.

Tony wasn't used to people listening. People heard him at the Expo, on television, at his birthday party when he was absolutely hammered (that was a great next-morning feeling. Add the effects of firing a repulsor ray at Rhodey's repulsor ray, and the definition of the Beatles' "Hard Day's Night" was achieved), but they never listened to him. He did have things to say.

They was just shrouded by all of the other things that Tony had to say. Mainly, things about himself.

Sometimes, though, Tony really did have something worthwhile to state out loud. Like telling Banner that he really was grateful to The Other Guy for saving Tony before he hit the ground at terminal velocity. Or mentioning to the Capsicle that it was refreshing and maybe just a bit healing to the soul to work with someone who was so uncorrupted by the ways of the modern world. And also make a comment to Pepper that it did indeed say "Potts" on the lease.

He should probably thank the guys for not kissing him during his spell of unconsciousness after falling back through the portal, too.

Yeah.

But it probably wouldn't happen. Tony didn't roll like that. He considered one withheld snarky remark in exchange for the protection of his life repayment enough. If he spouted off his feelings, he would lose his credibility as "volatile, self-centered, and not playing well with others". And that would be truly a disaster.

So he would be content with his coffee booth of friends.

Or perhaps, a shawarma table of friends.

* * *

_Code Number 82...use your imagination._


End file.
